"What do you want? I'll pay," Jimin said, scanning the menu as if she didn't know it by heart already.

"You don't need to!" Minjeong waved her hands at her.

"But I will. Plus, I always get a discount. That girl is my housemate." Jimin looked at Heejin on the other side of the aisle, smiling so brightly at the customer even though it was past eight and she was probably exhausted.

"Oh. T-Then I'll go with a caramel macchiato."

"Just that? Aren't you hungry? The sandwiches here are amazing. Especially the tonkatsu one. I'm getting one for myself."

The couple in front of them moved away as they got their order, so Jimin walked forward and met Heejin's eyes. She beamed at her.

"Ji-" Heejin noticed the smaller girl next to Jimin and irked an eyebrow. "Hello, there."

"Hi." Minjeong gave a quick bow of her head, her short hair bouncing back and forth.

Jimin couldn't stop her lips from stretching into a smile, but when she found Heejin smirking at her, she forced them into a thin line and cleared .

"Hey, Heejin. It's gonna be two hot caramel macchiatos and two tonkatsu sandwiches, please. Extra sauce on mine, as you know."

"W-Wait!" Minjeong took a step closer.

"Do you prefer something else? The salmon cream cheese is also amazing," Jimin said, looking at her side, and since Minjeong was right next to her, she noticed how big the height difference between them was. And it was so adorable she had to keep forcing her lips not to smile.

Minjeong hesitated, like she wanted to say something, but stopped herself from. "Tonkatsu is fine."

"There's only one tonkatsu sandwich left, girls, I'm so sorry," Heejin said, but she didn't seem sorry at her. She was visibly holding a laugh.

"You can have it!" they said, turning to each other at the same time.

"No, you really like it, please have it," Minjeong said.

"No, I always have it, I've had tons of tonkatsu sandwiches, this one is for you. Heejin, I'll have the salmon cream cheese, please."

"Coming right away." Heejin trotted away to prepare their order, not worrying to keep her giggles low.

Minjeong kept her head down, fidgeting with her own hands. Jimin was about to ask something, if she was feeling okay, if there was something wrong, but Heejin was fast to come back with their drinks and food.

"Enjoy your food and company!" Heejin smiled at them. "And nice to meet you. I have a feeling we'll see each other again very soon."

Minjeong irked an eyebrow, glancing at Jimin.

"Yes, she will love the coffee and she will come back for more tonkatsu sandwiches, I'm sure," Jimin rushed to say. She led the way to the table that just emptied at the far corner, next to the window.

They sat in silence and Jimin took a huge bite of her sandwich. She was actually starving, she couldn't even eat anything during that afternoon. But Minjeong only stared down at her sandwich.

"Please eat, you must be hungry," Jimin said.

"Ah, yes. Thank you once again, I will repay you." Minjeong took a bite of her sandwich as well, humming in satisfaction, her eyebrows drawing together in the most adorable way as her small lips munched on the food.

"It's delicious, right?" Jimin smiled as she watched her nod full of conviction, already taking another bite. "And repay, uh?"

Minjeong widened her eyes. "I-I mean, you paid for the food, it's only fair if I... pay the next time."

The next time.

Jimin didn't like the way her insides trembled with that. But it did, and her face warmed up.

"Sure. But if there's only one tonkatsu next time, it's for me."

"Of course! It's only fair as well."

Jimin chuckled, looking down at her coffee, the heat spreading to the back of her neck. But she couldn't stop herself from looking ahead at her again. Minjeong was just so... pretty. Nothing particularly stood out on her face, but every little detail was in pure harmony. A true doll like face.

"So," Minjeong said, meeting her eyes. "d-do you still want to listen?"

Jimin straightened her back and cleared . "Of course. As I said, I'm all ears."

Taking a large sip of her coffee, Minjeong sighed. "In fact, there's not a lot to explain. It's pretty... boring, my story."

"You could even tell me that you've been crying because you lost your favorite pen. I just want to listen."

Minjeong chuckled. "You said you saw me with a woman, right? That was my girl-" she paused, pursued her lips, and her eyes suddenly shone. "Well, my ex-girlfriend."

Jimin gulped, clenching her jaw and clasping the mug with her hand.

"Sorry, this might come as a... surprise," Minjeong added. "I bet you were thinking I would be crying for a boy or something."

"N-No, I didn't think about it. I never considered that an option. At all."

Minjeong laughed again, louder this time. "You totally did."

Jimin sighed. "I assume a lot of . Sorry. Just like I assumed it had something to do with her after I saw you two."

"Well, you were right about that."

"Did she hurt you? Is she still bothering you?"

"Not after that day. We started dating in my first year of college. She was a second year, and it was almost like love at first sight. Things rolled pretty fast, but they went really well. She graduated and found a job, but she already lives a bit far from here, and her job is even farther, so it became harder for us to be together. Still, we made our efforts, we talked and video-called every day, and tried to meet at least once a week. But as time went by, that started happening less and less. Two, three weeks went by without us being together, she would be so busy she couldn't even call me anymore."

She paused and gripped her own mug with both hands, eyes focused down on the remains of her sandwich on her plate. Jimin knew the story didn't end there, and just like always, she was already assuming what would be coming next. But she didn't want to believe it.

"A couple of months ago, I had a free weekend, so I decided to pay her a surprise visit." Minjeong paused yet again, a small, sad smile on her lips. "You're good at assuming, so I think you know what happens next."

"She ing cheated on you?" Jimin gritted through her teeth.

The single raise of Minjeong's eyebrow answered for her. "The other girl opened the door for me. She was very confused. She didn't even know I existed. It was a shock for the both of us, actually."

Jimin dropped her chin. "Without a pinch of respect, what a son of a . And I am not sorry. What a way to get two people in deep ."

Minjeong gulped.

"Okay, sorry, maybe I went too far. This was super recent. I'm sorry." Jimin cursed at herself in her mind.

"But you are right. She was a . And she even had the guts to come to beg for my forgiveness."

"What?!" Jimin frowned so hard it creased her forehead.

"And I forgave her."

Now the shock was so much that Jimin lost all strength even to frown. She just let her back hit the chair.

"I gave her a second chance, and you know what she did?"

"Please don't tell me she did what I'm assuming she did."

"She screwed up again. That's why you saw what you saw. It was her second attempt to beg for my forgiveness, again, after cheating, again. Saying she couldn't eat, she couldn't sleep, she was skipping work, all because she couldn't forgive herself and couldn't live without me, after all." Minjeong scoffed.

"Poor her, maybe if she thought about what she was ing doing!"

"But you know..." Minjeong's voice dropped lower, and her lip trembled all of a sudden. "Deep down, I still... I wanted to forgive her. Even if a second time. But whenever I remembered that moment, I..."

Tears rolled down Minjeong's eyes, and Jimin straight up panicked. She reached for her hands and squeezed them in her own.

"Don't," Jimin blurted. "Don't go back to her."

Meeting her eyes, Minjeong held her breath.

"She doesn't deserve you. She made you cry, she hurt you beyond explanation. I can't possibly know how you're feeling, I can only imagine it's like... a hole in your heart, and I know it hurts, but I don't believe going back would fix that hole. I think it would just... make it dormant. The hole would remain there, but with a little patch on top. If she truly cared for you, she would have given you space, time to process and to be angry about it. But instead, she did the same again, and went after you, all the way to school, and even made you uncomfortable. Also, all that talk that she can't eat or take a , I don't care, is manipulation. She's trying to get in your head so that you feel bad that she's feeling like that because you're not going back to her."

"Well, it is my fa-"

"Don't you dare say it's your fault. It is not your fault. See, she's getting into your head. Is it also your fault that she cheated on you?"

"M-Maybe, maybe I-"

"I was being ironic! Minjeong," Jimin called, and it did draw her eyes to her own. It had been the first time she called her name, and it sounded so... right. "You already gave her another chance and she still screwed up. You are not at fault here. Just... don't go."

Minjeong's lips parted. She sniffed and rushed to grab a napkin and blow her nose. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to cry."

"Don't apologize."

"I won't go back."

And Jimin didn't know why, but those words lifted a hundred pounds from her chest. She sighed, her shoulders relaxing.

"And thank you, Jimin," Minjeong said, and Jimin's heart skipped a few beats with how her name sounded in Minjeong's voice. "I feel better. Reassured. I'm glad I talked with you. I still don't understand why you care so much, but thank you."

Jimin didn't understand either.

"You just... seemed so sad that I couldn't not try and do anything," Jimin said. "I'm glad I helped."

Minjeong gave her a small smile as she nodded, going back to her sandwich as the silence settled in.

"You're not going back to the crying closet, are you?" Jimin asked.

"I don't think so. Not going back means that I'm feeling better and moving on. So, I hope not."

Jimin hoped not as well.

—

"So, who's the girl?" Heejin asked the second Jimin closed the front door.

"Who?" Jimin threw her shoes away before throwing her body to the couch.

Heejin irked an eyebrow at her. "The cute girl that was with you until my shift was over?"

Jimin's face warmed up. "I wanted to come home with you, and she stayed to keep me company, that's all."

"Why do you sound so nervous? You don't need to justify yourself, you know." Heejin chuckled, sitting beside her. "But you still didn't answer my question."

"Her name is Minjeong."

Heejin stared at her. "Pretty name, yes. Go on, now."

"W-With what?"

"You're actually so cute when you're flustered, Jiminie." Heejin pinched her cheek. "She might fall for you like this."

"Y-You think so?!"

Heejin burst out laughing, and Jimin sighed.

"It was a joke, but I understand everything now," Heejin said. "Well, you're clearly interested, so, give it a shot. Was she okay, though? I thought I saw her crying."

"She... She's feeling better. I hope. I met her in the crying closet. I mean, she has been there a lot frequently and I couldn't stay out of it this time. I don't know why."

"You do know, you just don't want to admit you kinda crushed instantly on her and wanted to help her with whatever you could, you big tsundere."

Jimin took her hands to her head. "You know what? You're right. I admit it. I didn't even know who she was, but seeing her cry made my heart ache. I wanted to help her, and I think I kinda did. And yes, I crushed on her." She ran her hands down her face, hiding her red cheeks. " my life."

She expected another fit of teases and giggles, but instead, a hand lightly rested on her leg.

"You're really sweet and caring, Jimin. I just know she already saw that about you. Don't look at that crush as something silly that you should ignore or be mad about, as you always do. Embrace it and give it a shot. You don't know what might happen."

Hesitantly, Jimin lowered her hands, a frown already on her face as she met Heejin's eyes. "You're weirdly supportive today."

Heejin dropped her chin, pinching her leg instead. "As if!"

"I'm joking!" Jimin whined. "Thank you, Heejin. Maybe you're right, for once." Another pinch. "She suffered a lot and I don't want her to anymore. I want her to be happy and smile and laugh and-"

"And you want to be the reason she does so."

"That sounds so lame."

"And so true."

Jimin remembered how Minjeong smiled and laughed at her silliness earlier, and that was enough to make her insides giddy. "I literally only started talking to her today."

"Started, you're right. You just need to keep meeting up and know each other."

"You've been reading too many webtoons."

"As if you don't read tons of romances. Stuff like this doesn't only happen in stories, you know."

"Yeah, yeah. But enough about me. What about Hyunjin? How are things?"

"I was lowkey hoping you would and wouldn't ask. I... I invited her for dinner next weekend."

"Holy ." Jimin took a hand to . "You're lying."

"Why would I lie about this?! You have no idea how hard it was. I was so nervous she laughed in my face when all I wanted was to invite her for dinner. But then she said yes."

"This proves everything is possible. I'll want to hear every detail about it. And please, please, come back home with juicy details. Or, maybe, don't even come home that night."

"Yah, Yoo Jimin!"

—

Less than an hour for her shift to be over. It had been a week since her talk with Minjeong, and she hadn’t shown up again for the crying closet. Of course Jimin was happy, she didn’t want to ever see Minjeong cry like that again, but at the same time, it felt like that would be the only excuse for them to meet again. And that was awful to think.

They didn’t exchange numbers and Jimin didn’t want to message her randomly on Instagram. That would reveal that she went on ahead and looked for hers, and the fact that she managed to find it (not that hard, to be honest). They had crossed paths a couple of times for the past week, but all they did was wave and smile at each other, as Minjeong was probably running between classes and Jimin on her short breaks from work.

Jimin sighed, dropping her book on her desk without even marking the page she was on (not like it mattered, she would need to read the last few pages again because she had no idea what she had read). She wanted to meet Minjeong again, she wanted to go out with her, to spend more time with her, to get to know her better. Maybe Heejin’s advice on not ignoring this crush wasn’t the best. Maybe she should fight it, brush it off-

“Hey.”

Jimin looked up. She knew she couldn’t even if she wanted to. Not when Minjeong was right there, not with tears in her eyes and running to the crying closet, but with a smile on her lips. That smile that made Jimin’s heart stop and beat like crazy at the same time.

“M-Minjeong, hi.” Jimin stood up from her chair, almost throwing it to the ground.

Minjeong giggled. “Sorry, did I startle you?”

“No, not at all. I was just… focused on my book.”

“That was closed on your desk,” Minjeong smirked? God, Jimin wasn’t one of your brave soldiers.

“Yeah. I was thinking about that scene I just read. And contemplating it.”

“Should I leave you to it, then? I didn’t want to inte-“

“No! No, not at all. Did you need something? A book? I can look it up for you.”

Minjeong laughed again. Yeah, Jimin was making a huge fool out of herself, and she knew it, she could feel every inch of her skin warming up.

“No. I was wondering if you wanted to hang out. Your shift is almost over, right? I could go for another tonkatsu sandwich. If there are two, of course, you have priority over it this time.”

Jimin blinked. She almost felt like pinching herself to make sure that was actually happening and that she wasn’t too immersed in her own mind.

“Hang out. Yes, oh my god, absolutely. I’ll call Heejin and ask her to save a tonkatsu sandwich for you. And yes, my shift is almost finishing, but there’s still almost an hour left.”

“I’ll stay here, then. I won’t go on the crying closet, I promise.”

“You’ll wait for me here?”

“If you’re okay with it.”

“Of course. This is the library, after all. You’re free to be here when you want.”

“You’re right. Let me know when you’re done, then.” Minjeong smiled and was about to turn, but faced Jimin again. “You read a lot, right? Recommend me a book to read while I wait.”

“A book? What do you like to read?”

“Surprise me.”

“Children of Blood and Bone,” Jimin blurted.

Minjeong irked an eyebrow. “Sounds mysterious.”

“It’s amazing. The characters are so cool, the plot, the worldbuilding in that is so awesome, the way the story is told in three different characters’ povs-“ Jimin paused and regained her posture, clearing . “Sorry, I really like this saga. It’s my fav.”

“I’m sure I’m gonna love it too, then. I’m gonna go get it. Thank you.”

Before Minjeong could even move, Jimin reached for her right and grabbed two exemplars, showing them to her.

“I have them here. Original English version and Korean version. Which one do you want?”

Minjeong stared at them for a few seconds, probably admiring the cover. “Did you read both?”

“Y-Yeah.”

“I’ll go with the original, then. So I can practice my English a bit too.”

“Excellent choice.” Jimin handed her the book.

“Thank you, Jimin. Tell me when you’re done.”

Minjeong went to sit, and when Jimin expected her to go to one of the furthest tables, hidden between tall shelves, she chose the closest desk, right in Jimin’s visual field. Jimin tried to find an excuse, a reason for it, but why? What for? It didn't matter anyway. She could pretend she was working on her computer, when in fact her eyes drifted every ten seconds.

Not even five minutes went by and Minjeong was already super focused, her back straight and eyes barely blinking as she read page after page. Jimin couldn't stop herself from smiling. Minjeong was so cute, her eyebrows drawing together, probably with the intensity of the beginning of the story.

The next time she remembered to check the time, she cursed under her breath. Of course she was running late. She stood up, and even after grabbing the random books left here and there, storing them in their places, and sending the three students who still studied at the back, Minjeong didn't budge.

"Hey, it's time," Jimin said, standing next to her table.

Minjeong finally took her eyes off the book. "Already?"

"Yeah. You were pretty immersed in it. I already cleaned everything and you didn't even notice."

"Oh, sorry, I could have helped." Minjeong stood up, following Jimin to the glass entrance doors and handing her the book.

"I'm the one that works here, not you." Jimin irked an eyebrow. "Why are you giving me the book?"

"It's yours, right?"

"Yeah, but I am lending it to you until you finish it."

"R-Really? Can I keep it?" Minjeong tried not to smile that widely, but failed.

"Of course. You're enjoying it, right?"

Minjeong hugged the book against her chest and followed her outside.

"It's amazing so far! The way the story begins, right with action and setting the universe right from the first pages, and the criticism about our world is so obvious and well done! And the different povs, that is so cool."

Jimin locked the door, hiding her smile. Her chest inflated with pride, as if that was her book Minjeong was praising. "I didn't know you liked books this much."

"Why? I don't need to spend my whole time in the library to like books. Unlike you."

"Hey, I work here!" Jimin half protested, half laughed as she led the way down the corridor after making sure the door was properly locked.

"Why did you decide to work here?"

"I graduated last year, and like a month before, miss Lee left. I was always there, and it was actually her that suggested that I could apply. Since I didn't really have any job in sight, I gave it a shot. And now here I am."

"See, you already spent the whole time there even before getting the job."

Jimin opened to protest more, but Minjeong was right. With nothing to fight back, Minjeong burst out in loud laughs echoing in the empty halls.

"Okay, you're right. I would spend almost all my afternoons in the library."

"So dedicated."

"I could have spent more time actually studying, in fact." Jimin sighed.

"Did you spend all your time reading books, then?"

"Yeah, and..."

Minjeong waited. Then peeked at her with an irked eyebrow. "And?"

"Writing."

Jimin rushed down the stairs, trying to hide her redder cheeks.

"You write?! Books?"

"Not exactly books. Just... stories."

"Let me read them!"

"Why?"

"What do you mean why? You wrote them, I'm sure they're great. Fantasy stories?" Minjeong skipped after her, trying to match Jimin's faster pace.

"A few."

"What do I need to do for you to let me read them?"

Jimin eyed Minjeong, just to find a pout on her lips. "Finish Children of Blood and Bone, and I'll ponder until you do."

"Then ponder fast, I'll finish this sooner than you probably expect."

"Oh? I'll be waiting."

Reaching the main entrance, Jimin dropped her shoulders.

", it's raining." She grimaced, looking ahead at the dark clouds and drops falling, staining the concrete ground.

Minjeong stepped ahead of her, something on her hand. "Glad I brought my umbrella, then."

Before Minjeong could open it, Jimin stole it from her hands, opened it, and stood by the main door. “Let’s go then. I’m taller, so I’ll hold it.”

With a smile on her lips, Minjeong got to her side and held onto Jimin’s arm. Jimin gulped and stepped outside the building, the heavy drops hitting the umbrella. Minjeong held tighter, her body gluing to Jimin’s as she tried to protect herself as much as she could from the rain. Jimin tilted the umbrella to Minjeong’s side, peeking to make sure it covered all of her.

And despite having her right arm soaked already, and the heavy rain and the cold wind, Jimin felt as if she was having a fever. Her skin burned under her sweatshirt and long jacket, especially that specific spot on her left arm where Minjeong kept on gripping.

In silence they walked, Jimin both glad that the walk to the coffeeshop Heejin worked at was short, and cursing it. Way sooner than she wanted, they arrived, Minjeong rushing inside and holding the door as Jimin closed the umbrella.

It was a comfy warmth inside the café, but Jimin actually felt colder. Like it could suddenly turn summer, but the warmth she needed was gone now.

Damn, Jimin should really stop being that dramatic. Well, she was a writer, poor thing.

"Go sit, I'll go get our food," Jimin said. "Do you want a caramel macchiato?"

"You already paid the last time, I said I would pay this time."

Jimin shrugged. "Well, next time then. Now go sit before someone takes that table at the corner."

Rushing to the counter, Jimin managed to hide her burning face. The way Minjeong was about to protest and pouted was so adorable-

"Look at your stupid smile," Heejin smirked.

"Hello to you too, Heejin. Did you save the tonkatsu sandwiches I asked you?"

"You asked me to save tonkatsu sandwiches?" Heejin irked an eyebrow, and when Jimin's shoulders dropped, as if everything in her world was collapsing, Heejin burst out laughing. "Your face! I'm sorry, this was evil, but you're just so funny. Of course I saved them."

"You ..." Jimin took a hand to her chest. "Minjeong is here! I told her you would save one for her, imagine how sad she would get if I went back with my hands empty."

"Well, in that case, I would be the bad one, because I didn't save them, and not you, poor Jiminie that did everything in her power to give Minjeong her tonkatsu sandwish-"

"Shut the hell up and go get them. Two caramel macchiatos as well."

Still laughing, Heejin turned and went to prepare their drinks. Jimin sighed, leaning against the counter while looking back.

And her heart started beating alarmingly faster, because when she expected to see Minjeong sitting at the corner table, she found her standing, shrinking under a tall woman’s figure.

Her ex.

---

A/N: :))))))

JIMIN IS THERE FOR HER DON'T WORRY TOO MUCH!!!!!!!! 

So now you know why Minjeong has been going to the crying closet and guess what HER EX IS HERE

Fun fact, that's actually my fav book, Children of Blood and Bone, it's just so good, if you want an amazing fantasy story go read that!

And thank you so much for all the subs and comments and likes so far!!! I hope you're enjoying and see you at the next chapter!

Twitter - @itzloonatic
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